A need exists for golf practice equipment which would enable a golfer to practice driving in an area of limited space such as a back yard. Various types of equipment for this purpose are available, for example, nets against which a ball may be driven and devices wherein a golf ball is permanently attached to the end of a rod which rotates upon striking the ball. These devices present disadvantages in their lack of realism and/or their failure to enable flight pattern detection.
One approach to a backyard driving range would be to secure a golf ball to a cord or string that is restrained by being connected to a stake in the ground. Upon driving the ball from the tee, the string tightens, causing the ball to rebound back to or behind the tee. While simple in concept, this approach has proven difficult to implement in several respects. A high degree of durability in the cord is required owing to forces generated when the ball is struck. At the same time, the cord should be light in weight to provide maximum realism. In addition, the cord should not become coiled or entangled during rebound, and many types of cords are not suitable in this respect. Another problem is to provide an effective means for tying the cord which is particularly difficult for a monofilament nylon cord that is best suited to meet other requirements. The obvious expedient of tying cord ends together by forming a knot has not proven effective for the type of cord which is preferred for reasons stated above. A stake that is effective for use in various types of soil and a golf ball having an internal structure that will enable it to slide over the cord are also required for use in the present invention. Available golf practice equipment fails to meet one or more of these requirements.